Always There
by HD is not High Definition
Summary: Tsubasa realizes, after all these years, how foolish he has been to never notice his feelings for his pink-haired best friend. TxM
1. Chapter 1

Andou Tsubasa held his breath as he waited for that familiar head of pink hair.

_**I can't believe I'm here…**_

"Yo, Andou!"

Tsubasa nearly jumped in the air, but wryly turned to his old friend Fujioka Ken (with the Alice of stretching out his limbs) and greeted him. Ken, wearing a dark blue suit, offered Tsubasa a flute of champagne before taking a sip from his own. Tsubasa took a small sip, trying to calm his nerves.

"So… it's a big night, huh? Harada must be over the moon," Ken grinned. Tsubasa took a deep breath.

_**I'll say…**_

"Have you seen Misaki?"

Ken smirked. "Oh, come on, she's a woman… you know how they get on their engagement nights."

Tsubasa let out a weak smile.

"Hey, there she is."

Tsubasa whirled around so quickly, his neck made a 'crick' sound. He had to warn himself to breathe properly when he saw her wearing a floating, light mauve evening gown, sparkling jewelry adorning her ears and around her slender neck. His heart hurt, feeling some strange, foreign ache. She was so perfect.

Ken let out a low whistle.

"Who knew tomboy Harada could look so nice?"

Tsubasa barely heard him as Misaki approached the two men.

_**You're so beautiful. You're the most beautiful woman in the world to me.**_

"Presenting the bride of the evening!" Ken sang as Misaki giggled.

"Hi, Fujioka-kun," Misaki smiled. "Thanks for coming."

"Wouldn't miss it," he kissed her hand, and Tsubasa swiftly hid the sizzling flash of jealousy he felt at seeing another man touch his (_his!_) Misaki. Ken wandered off to chat with more guests, as Misaki turned to Tsubasa.

"Well, well, Andou," she teased. "You clean up quite nicely."

He grinned briefly at her. He had come out in his best, with a fancy pure-white tuxedo, and a midnight black necktie. But he was still nervous. He took a deep breath.

"…Tsubasa?" she blinked. "Are you okay?"

"O- Oh… yeah…" he cleared his throat. "I'm fine. I just…"

Tsubasa struggled with his words, finally looking into Misaki's dark pink eyes.

"Misaki, I-"

"And heeeeeere's the groom!"

Tsubasa released a breath of frustration as Misaki turned and smiled at her husband-to-be who ran up to them.

"Sorry I'm late," the handsome man kissed her cheek, decked out in a dark tuxedo, a red rose in his lapel. "You wouldn't believe how horrible work was."

"Well, you're here now," Misaki looped her arm through his. "Might as well make the most of it."

Tsujiai Naoki smiled. "You're the best, you know that?"

Misaki giggled as he bent down to lightly brush his lips against her temple. Tsubasa conveniently looked away, and Misaki turned to him.

_**You're hurting me… stop… stop it…**_

"I hope you enjoy the party, Tsubasa," she smiled at him, as she and Naoki walked to the main table.

"Tsubasa-senpai…?"

He turned to see Mikan and Natsume standing together. He managed a half-hearted grin.

"Hey, Mikan-chan."

"…"

"…"

"Natsume-kun," Mikan warned as she elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs. He let out an exasperated sigh.

"Andou," he said gruffly.

"Hyuuga," Tsubasa responded in kind.

"May I have your attention please?"

Everyone turned to Ruka, who stood with a microphone.

"Would Tsujiai Naoki and Harada Misaki please come to the front of the room?"

There were loud whistles and cheers, as the blushing couple walked up in front of everyone.

_**You're so beautiful. I need you, Misaki…**_

…_**and I let you go.**_

_**Why was I so stupid? So blind and naïve? Why couldn't I see that you were there the whole time?**_

Tsubasa stepped outside and took a deep breath. There were so many stars out tonight.

The sky twinkled magically, and he couldn't help but to wonder if someone with an Illusion Alice was behind it. The stars just looked a little too beautiful and bright.

It was after the tear rolled down his cheek that he realized they looked so bright because his vision was blurring.

The stars were shining.

Just like that night…


	2. Chapter 2

_4 years ago…_

"Wow…" 18-year-old Misaki breathed as she and Tsubasa observed the constellations of the November night sky. He silently agreed with her.

The stars were clear against the velvety night sky.

"They're so pretty!" Misaki cried happily and Tsubasa turned to look at his best friend.

"I can think of someone even prettier…" he said softly. Misaki turned pink.

"Wh- What are you-?"

"Yuizaki Atsuko from the Special Abilities class. Damn, that girl is a _fiiiiine_- ouch!"

"Oi, Tsubaka!" Misaki fumed. "Do you really have to act like a pervert?"

He grinned sheepishly as he fixed his hat, leaning back onto his arms as he continued to look up at the stars.

"Oh, look!" Misaki pointed. "A shooting star! Let's make a wish!"

Tsubasa chuckled. "What are you, six?"

"Come on, Tsubasa," she pouted. "It's tradition."

He simply grinned, but he couldn't stop himself from making a silent wish.

_I wish Misaki would always smile._

Little did he know, the girl next to him was making a similar wish…

_I wish I was the one who could make Tsubasa always smile._

* * *

"Ne, ne, Misaki-chan!" one of her classmates ran up to her the next day during lunch. Misaki blinked.

"Hm?"

"There's a rumor going around that there's going to be a new student!"

"Wow, at this age?" Misaki blinked. "That's surprising… usually most students are found in the Elementary School Division… why'd they just find him or her?"

"Apparently that student was going to a School for Alices in America."

"Ooh!" a fellow female classmate piped up. "So he can speak English?"

"I hope he's cute!"

"Come on," Misaki laughed. "You guys don't even know if it's a girl or guy…"

"Oh, but…" the first classmate grinned slyly. "Misaki-chan wouldn't care, right? Since she has…"

A small cluster of girls immediately swooned.

"_Andou-kuuuuuun…_"

"Stop that!" Misaki said, scandalized, unable to hide the faintest blush on her cheeks. "Tsubaka is my best friend."

"Well, do you say any other guys' names with honorifics?" one of the girls pointed out. Misaki paused.

"W- Well, no, but… I mean, he's been my best friend since Elementary School Division, so it makes sense!"

"Ohhh?" another classmate giggled. "You're so lucky, Misaki-chan. Andou-kun's so hot!"

"He looks like a movie star!"

"His eyes are so blue!"

"And he's _sooooo_ nice to all girls!"

_Everyone but me, apparently_, Misaki thought wryly, just as the door to the classroom slid open.

"Oi, Misaki," Tsubasa called. "I got your yakisoba bread so let's go."

"Later," Misaki hastily said, as she ran out, ignoring the knowing glances and sly 'Ooooh's she was getting from most of the girls.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Tsubasa asked curiously as they escaped to the roof. Misaki turned scarlet as she remembered and swiftly shook her head.

"Nothing!"

"Oh… I think I know…"

Misaki gulped as Tsubasa turned to her, face serious.

"Misaki… they were talking about me, weren't they?"

She nearly felt her heart give way.

"…tell them I'd be _happy_ to give them my number, there's no need to go through you. After all, Andou Tsubasa always has time for- OUCH!"

"Let's go, Tsubaka!" Misaki growled, dragging him by the ear up to the roof.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow! Misaki!" he whined. "My ear's going to pop off!"

"Good!" she spat. "Maybe your apparently good looks will get a minus!"

"…you think I'm good-looking?"

"_I SAID __**APPARENTLY**__, TSUBAKA!"_

"_Ow!_"

* * *

Misaki bit into her yakisoba bread as Tsubasa leaned back, yawning.

"Hey, I'm tired," he announced. "I'm going to nap."

"Okay," she shrugged. Tsubasa gave her puppy-dog eyes.

"You wouldn't mind if I used your lap, would you? Misaki-sama?"

She rolled her eyes. Ah, the privileges of the best friend.

"All right, all right."

He leaned back and rested his head in her lap. Her lap was soft, comforting… she absentmindedly stroked his hair gently, just like the mother he never had. Soon, he was in a deep sleep, his breath elongated.

Misaki felt her heart speed up when she saw the small smile playing on his lips. Remembering the girls' teasing back in the classroom did not help.

"Mm…" Tsubasa said quietly, swiftly licking his lips. Misaki turned pink.

_He's so close… he's right there… I…_

Misaki hesitantly leaned down.

_Tsubasa… Tsubasa, I-_

She stopped within an inch of his lips, before her senses came back.

_What am I __**doing**__?_ _If Tsubaka knew I was doing this, I would never live it down!_

She let out a shaky breath, before leaning back.

_Wow… the words 'best friends' sure are lonely._

She released a breath as she silently finished her yakisoba bread.

* * *

Tsubasa smiled bitterly, releasing a slow breath, lazily watching the faint wisps of white leaving his mouth from the sharpness of the night.

"I don't belong here," Tsubasa muttered, digging into his pocket to see if he could find a stick of gum.

"You're right, you don't."

Tsubasa looked up in surprise.

"You belong in there, supporting your best friend," Hyuuga Natsume emerged, looking as deadpanned as ever. "What's wrong with you, Andou?"

"I'm surprised Mikan-chan let you leave," Tsubasa changed the subject smoothly. Natsume shrugged.

"She's in there, squealing about some girly thing with Harada."

Tsubasa couldn't help but to silently marvel at Mikan's accomplishment. Ever since she and Natsume had begun dating, he had turned from a silent, cold, ruthless pyromaniac to a clearly lovesick, rather _tsundere_ type of character.

Of course, he would never admit just how tightly Mikan had him wrapped around her little finger.

Tsubasa couldn't help another bitter smile.

_I would compare me and Misaki… but the only difference is that Natsume is always showing Mikan-chan how loved she is… while I… am still wrapped around Misaki's finger, and she has no idea._

"…"

"…"

"…?"

"… you got a stick of gum?"

As Natsume handed over a stick of cinnamon-flavored (how typical of him, Tsubasa observed rather dryly), the dark-haired shadow manipulator was suddenly reminded of another time… long ago…

* * *

"Misakiiiiii… MisakiMisakiMisakiMisakiMisa-"

"WHAT, TSUBAKA?!"

Misaki threw down her book in frustration.

"We have a test tomorrow!" she warned. "Jinno-sensei is not going to be happy when he sees your score!"

"…Misaki, I'm hungry," Tsubasa said lazily, playfully batting at a fly's shadow as he lounged on Misaki's bed. Misaki's eyebrow twitched.

"That's why you're interrupting my studies?" she growled. "Dinner's in a few hours. Cope until then."

"Misakiiiiiiiiiiii-"

"Geez!" Misaki huffed in frustration. "Fine… I have a stick of gum. Will that be enough to satisfy your appetite for the moment, Your Tsubakaness?"

His eyes immediately lit up. "What flavor?"

"…watermelon," Misaki muttered quietly. Tsubasa grinned and held out his hand.

"Sounds good."

Misaki sighed and shook the tiny box of gum. The final square of gum tumbled out, lying in Tsubasa's wide palm. Tsubasa blinked.

"Is this your last one?"

"Yeah," Misaki shrugged. "I'll just get more next time I go to Cen-"

"LET'S FIGHT FOR IT!"

"HUH?!"

Tsubasa's eyes were sparkling mischievously as he tossed the small pink cube palm to palm. Misaki rolled her eyes.

"You can keep it. I'm not fighting you for ittTTTTTTT!"

Her voice spiked up at the end as her body suddenly twirled around ten times, Tsubasa snickering as he capped the pen. Thank goodness Misaki had sat next to the window, where the sun glaring in could create a shadow on the ground for him to easily write in the order. Misaki glared at him (well, one of him… she was too dizzy to see straight now).

_Damn that shadow manipulator._

"…you wanna fight?" she managed to slur out. "Bring it on, Tsubaka!"

Before Tsubasa could retaliate, he was surrounded by a whole circle of Misaki's.

"Guess who the real Misaki is!" they all sang simultaneously. Tsubasa snorted.

"Oh, come on, Misaki… I've been your best friend for this long. If I didn't know that'd just be pathetic."

He easily pinpointed the real Misaki, who smirked at him.

"You're right. But… the other doppelgangers never really wanted to kick your ass before, either."

"Huh?"

Tsubasa gulped when he noticed all the doppelgangers cracking their knuckles, and smiling rather evilly at him.

"You win, doppelganger warrior," Tsubasa said dramatically, the pink sweet laying in his open palm as he offered it to her on bended knee. Misaki laughed, but her giggles faltered when she saw Tsubasa in that position.

It was similar to a…

…proposal position.

Misaki looked away, certain that her cheeks probably matched her hair.

"Y- You can keep it, for the last time," she muttered quietly. "It's fine."

Tsubasa frowned as he popped it into his mouth. "Hey, you okay?"

Misaki swallowed.

…_Tsubasa. Are you ever going to notice?_

"I'm fine."

Misaki beamed as she left Jinno-sensei's classroom. She had absolute confidence in that test today. She walked to the door of her room… and paused in surprise.

There was neat little stack of watermelon-flavored gum boxes right in front of her door. Misaki counted ten, and curiously picked up the little sticky-note attached to the top.

'_One for each spin you did. It was totally worth it. Ha! –T'_

Misaki couldn't help a tiny grin, as she carried in the small boxes.


End file.
